Making Customer Calls at the Best Time (Call Optimization in Voice Campaigns)
Updated
Introduction
Imagine calling a friend at the right time when they’re free and happy to chat. Businesses want to do the same with their customers. By picking the best time to call, they can:
Make customers happier
Save money
Increase likelihood of sales
Boost call success
Get better feedback
Better agent response
Why Call Timing Matters
Choosing the best times to call customers is important. It's not just about guessing the right time. Businesses use information and data to decide the best times to call. By using both fixed data (like general customer habits) and real-time data (based on current customer activity), they can plan calls better. This means more customers will answer the calls, leading to better results and more successful campaigns.
Real-time Use case: Making the most out of Customer Interactions
Scenario: Airline Web Check-In Reminder
Background:
Airline wants to make customer service better and help passengers check-in online before their flight.
The Problem:
Passengers often forget to check in online. Due to which agents spend valuable time handling last-minute check-ins at the airport.
The Solution: Preferred Call Times:
Booking Confirmation Call:
Day of Booking:
The system records the customer’s preferred communication window (based on past interactions or default settings).
Scheduled Reminder Call:
Two Days Before the Flight:
The system finds the best time to call the customer, about 48 hours before the flight. An agent calls the passenger at this time.
Benefits:
Better use of agent time:
Calls are made when best for the customer, so agents are more productive and focused on reminders, not last-minute check-ins.
Proper use of resources:
Calling at the right times ensures agents are working on important tasks when needed most.
Smoother operations:
Smart call scheduling helps manage the workload, reducing the need for extra hours or more staff.
Key Components in Call Optimization: What You Need to Know
Preferred Time to Call
The preferred time to call is when customers prefer to be contacted or when it’s planned to reach them. This helps businesses call when customers are most likely to answer, making communication more successful.
Details:
Where to get this Information: The best time to call can be found using past data, customer interactions, or directly from what customers tell you.
Expiry Time for Scheduled Calls
The expiry time for scheduled calls is the deadline after which a call should not be made if it hasn't happened yet. This helps avoid calling customers outside their preferred times or when the call is no longer needed.
Details:
Setting Expiry Times: Decide the deadline based on the campaign and what customers prefer.
Avoiding Last-minute Calls: Schedule calls well before the deadline to avoid rushing.
Pre-requisites
Make sure you have your customer’s data file to get started either from file upload or guided workflows.
Do not forget to add two columns as attributes i.e. “Preferred Time to Call" and "Expiry Time for Scheduled Call” when building the data for ingestion in Sprinklr environment.
Keep in mind while uploading customer’s data, the user needs to specify the time zone in which they wish to record date-time information.
If all the customers being contacted are in the same time zone, the time zone to be considered while reading the data files can be governed in “Lead Creation/Data Collection” module, while creating the connector (through – Lead Creation > Create/Edit Connector > Time Zone).
If the customers being contacted are in different time zones, the date – time input should be in reference to a single time zone, which should be selected while creating the data connector.
The data type of “Preferred Time to Call" and "Expiry Time for Scheduled Call” attributes should be selected as Date Time (in Define Schema screen) while creating the connector.
Implementation: A step-by-step guide
Campaign Creation: Start by setting up a new campaign. This is where you plan who you want to call and why. Get started with creating campaign here.
Select the schedule and expiry time fields: Select the attribute names from ingested customer data from which the campaign will capture “Preferred Time to Call" and "Expiry Time for Scheduled Call”
Important Considerations -
If the "Preferred Time to Call" field is blank, all incoming leads will be called immediately.
If the "Preferred Time to Call" value does not exist for a particular customer in the uploaded database, they are also eligible to be called immediately.
If the "Expiry Time" for the scheduled call is not specified, the system can contact the lead at any time after the "Preferred Time to Call," subject to agent availability.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What happens if the preferred time is not provided?
Calls are made immediately if no preferred time is set.
Can I schedule calls after the expiry time?
No, calls should not be initiated past the specified expiry time to ensure relevance and compliance.
How do I handle time zones when scheduling calls?
Keep in mind while uploading customer’s data, the user needs to specify the time zone in which they wish to record date-time information.
If all the customers being contacted are in the same time zone, the time zone to be considered while reading the data files can be governed in “Lead Creation/Data Collection” module, while creating the connector (through – Lead Creation > Create/Edit Connector > Time Zone).
If the customers being contacted are in different time zones, the date – time input should be in reference to a single time zone, which should be selected while creating the data connector.
The data type of “Preferred Time to Call" and "Expiry Time for Scheduled Call” attributes should be selected as Date Time (in Define Schema screen) while creating the connector.
What if a customer’s preferred call time conflicts with other scheduled activities?
The customer call will be dialled after the agent completes other scheduled activities.
How can I ensure compliance with privacy regulations during outbound calls?
Maintain a “Do Not Call” list and respect opt-out requests promptly.
Support
For more details, please feel free to reach out to our customer support at Tickets@sprinklr.com